Asylum

By: Darker Evolutions

Rating: R

Warnings: The rating should be warning enough.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters.

A/N: I really do apologize for not updating in so long, but I've had some problems to deal with, school to worry about, and severe writers block. Thank you all my readers for being so patient with me. I hope, in the long run, it was all worth it. Also I'm in hopes of making this chapter extra long for my readers.

Summary: Kai, Tala, Ray, and Bryan are members of the Saint Carolin's High School soccer team with a new student placed as their manager. They're also mutants in which the underground organization Biovolt are after. Will they get at each other's throats before they get a chance to find asylum?

Chapter Six – Missing

Rei paced the overgrown yard of Declan's home, cell phone pressed to his ear as it rung over and over. He seemed rather thrown off, amber eyes glancing this way and that as he waited for someone, anyone to pick up the phone on the other line. "Come on, pick up, pick up.."

The ringing finally stopped as the other side picked up, sounding groggy as they answered the phone, even dropping it once before actually getting to say anything. "Who ever the hell this is it had better be important to be calling at five thirty in the morning.." It was Tala who spoke, and he didn't sound too pleased that he had been woken up by the phone ringing by his ear.

"This is important!" Rei all but hissed those words, glaring at the ground as he continued to pace. He sounded frantic as he started going on about why he was calling so early. "I can't find him, I don't know where he is. His stuff is all here in the house, but he's nowhere to be found. He's always here in the morning, no matter what, but he isn't here! Damn it you're not going to be any use, put Kai on the phone."

"Rei, calm down before you hyperventilate. I don't know what has you so worked up, but yelling at me isn't going to do anything to help find…Who's missing anyways?" As Tala came into more of an alert state he rose from his bed, not caring he would be wandering the house with only boxers on. He was moving down the hallway to Kai's room.

"Declan! I know you don't care, but I do and I know Kai does as well. Just put him on the phone already, Tala." The insistence in Rei's voice was enough to get Tala to just simply shut up, though he was compelled to still argue with the raven-haired teen. With a sigh the red head murmured a 'hold on' before slipping into Kai's room. It was no surprise to see that the bed was empty and the sound of the shower spray could be heard.

"Kai, you have a phone call!" There was the sound of something dropping in the shower, and Tala was well aware he had probably started his best friend, as he was rarely ever up before six in the morning. Leaning on the doorframe of the bathroom, the door that had been cracked now opening to reveal a towel-clad Kai, Tala held out the phone.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't be interrupting your oh wonderful shower if it wasn't important. It's Rei, and I doubt I would live to see the light of another day if I hung up on him, he's pissed enough at me as it is." With a yawn, unconcerned it would seem on the surface, Tala wandered back to his own room after Kai had taken the phone, intent on simply getting a few more minutes of sleep.

"What, five-thirty in the morning this time..? Rei, I would hope this isn't going to become a habit." Guessing that Rei was only angry because of Tala, knowing that the two grated like sandpaper at times, Kai was trying to lighten the mood with a small joke only to have it clearly backfire upon him as Rei started yelling, though not in anger or at him.

"I suppose he handed the phone to you and didn't tell you why I even called? Real mature of him, and I suppose he hopes that Declan is dead lying on the street somewhere? I can't find him, Kai. He's not at home, and everything of his is at his house. Damn it, Kai, he told me to come over earlier today so we could go out for breakfast before school today!" It was hard to tell whether Rei wanted to scream or cry, but it wasn't hard to tell that he was distressed.

"Whoa, Rei slow down and calm down. I can't understand you when you're speed talking like your tongue is going to fall off. What's going on, and sit down before you walk a hole in the ground, I can hear you pacing over the phone." Sitting down on his bed Kai picked up an extra towel from his floor, placing Rei on speakerphone as he started the process of drying his hair and getting dressed for the day.

With a heavy sigh, one laden with grief, Rei could be heard sitting down on the porch steps of Declan's home, his head being cradled in one hand as the other held the cell phone. "Declan, he's gone Kai. He's missing, and I don't know where the hell he'd be. He never leaves his door either unlocked or open, but that's how I found it this morning. He told me to come over earlier today so we could go out for breakfast before school. I don't know what to do…"

Pausing in mid-motion of pulling on a sock Kai simply sat there, stunned. This was how most of the mutants tagged by Biovolt went missing, simply disappearing without any reason or clue sometime during the night. Finishing pulling on his sock Kai spoke slowly, trying to get a few things straight before either of the jumped to conclusions. "Are you sure that he's no where around, not even at the park..?"

"No, he's not at the park. He's never gone there without informing me after the first few times because he doesn't want to risk anything. He's missing, Kai. The back yard is a mess, there looks as if there was a fight.. Could Biovolt have taken him?" The tone of Rei's voice was pleading, as if he didn't want it to be true.

"I didn't think that they had him tagged yet, he hasn't been here very long… Look, come on over, I'm going to give Mrs. Tate a call to see if she has any information for us, she is the person who keeps track of the mutants at our school. If we have to take the day off to look for Declan, then we will. Just take it easy, I'm sure we'll find him." Pulling on a pair of comfortable dark blue jeans Kai couldn't help but to worry that they might not ever find Declan, at least not alive.

"Alright.. I'll be there in a few Kai." The click that followed and then the ring tone afterwards signaled that Rei had hung up, though his distanced voice had been rather disturbing for Kai to hear. The teen was usually so filled with life, which was why Kai was so drawn to him, like moth to the light.

Turning the speakerphone off and hanging up the phone Kai was soon to pull a black sleeveless shirt over his head, finishing getting dressed. His boots would be put on later when they left the house, though now he had other things to do; call Judy and get Tala up. The second wouldn't be that hard, just as long as Tala didn't choose this day to be a day he refused to get along with the world.

Snatching his cell phone up from his dresser top Kai went searching for his coach's home phone number, knowing that she would already be up this early to help get Max up, and Tyson if the teen had stayed the night. Moving down the hall as he searched for the number he took no time to walk right into his adoptive brother's room, flicking on all the lights and pulling all the blankets off the bed.

"Tala, get your lazy ass up, we need to go look for Declan to make sure Biovolt hasn't gotten a hold of him like they did Ian." The words that Kai had chosen received Tala's full attention near instantly, as the duel-haired teen knew that the red head had been close friends with the shorter boy. Also anything about Biovolt was also personal, as the organization had made most mutant's lives hell.

"You're absolutely positive that Biovolt could've gotten a hold of Declan, no if ands or buts?" Sitting up in his bed Tala was only met by clean clothes being flung at him, and orange shirt and lighter colored blue jeans as well as a fresh pair of socks. Their mom had already left for work, often working third shift and meaning they wouldn't be able to have her call them off of school.

"I'm calling Mrs. Tate, she more than likely knows something that we don't. She'll cover for us and give the principal some kind of excuse to keep us from getting in trouble. Rei is on his way over, so behave. Get dressed and meet me down stairs." Taking charge, something which wasn't all that uncommon for the Hiwatari youth, Kai was already pressing send on his phone and walking out into the hall to head downstairs.

The phone rang once, twice, three times and then someone picked up. Thankfully it was Mrs. Tate herself, as Kai didn't wish to explain himself to anyone else for calling this early in the morning. "Tate residence, this is Judy speaking." Despite the early hour the woman was still sounding very much awake, cheerful even.

"Mrs. Tate, this is Kai. I'm sincerely sorry for calling so early in the morning, but Declan has gone missing. I need to know if he's been tagged in some other city he's lived in before he came here, because I feel as if Biovolt has gotten their hands on him." Moving through the kitchen as he spoke Kai retrieved a loaf of wheat bread from the counter as well as some butter from the refrigerator. They'd all have to eat before they left the house, it wouldn't do to search on empty stomachs.

"I was worried about him coming here, but the government assured me he wasn't in any harm. Hold on and let me go get his file from my desk, I want to make sure I give you all the right information before I allow you to go off chasing after him, as I assume you're going to do." Judy could be heard moving through her home with the phone, whispering a good morning to her husband before walking into her office and shutting the door. With a sigh she sat down, papers heard being moved around.

As Judy went through files on her desk Kai was starting to make toast, putting on a fresh thing of coffee as well. He wasn't sure if the others would drink it, but he knew he was craving for caffeine with the fact he knew a hard search was going to go down today. He'd need the boost for the day, and was sure the others would as well, assuming they drank coffee to begin with.

"Alright Kai, here we are. Declan wasn't ever tagged, but he didn't need to be. His father is a part of Biovolt, though only became so when he found out his son possessed the 'Fallen Angel' mutation. Now the 'Angel' mutation was common in their family, so Declan's mutation was an odd one to have. Wanting the power that his son had the man killed his protective wife, attempting to kidnap his own son." More papers were being moved around possibly turned as Judy gave a low hum of thought.

"Declan's father joined up with Biovolt when Voltaire stated that he could transfer the boys power over to him. However the government stepped in to protect him, and Declan has been moving around ever since then. He has no need to be tagged due to blood relation to his father. Is there anything else helpful that you might need to know Kai?" Judy was concerned, she felt a motherly protection towards all the mutants she watched over, even towards ones that weren't very close to her.

Looking up as Tala entered the kitchen Kai motioned to the toaster as four pieces of toast popped up. With a yawn the other silently complied, moving over to butter the toast and put more in. Soon enough there was a knock on the front door, Tala automatically going to answer it since Kai was on the phone with Judy.

"What about any hot spots for Biovolt activity? Tala, Rei, and I are going to go check them out to see if Declan is there. If not we'll search the whole city if the need arises." Smiling comfortingly at Rei as he entered the kitchen, face dismal looking as if his best friend had died, Kai couldn't help but to feel as if he had to do something just to get him to smile again.

"I should've figured that you were going to end up looking the whole city over if I didn't give you anywhere to look first. Well let's see… Try the basement of the factory on Baker's street, the second story of the Ashland apartment complex, any places that are abandoned or condemned on the edge of town, and the last place to try would be to vacant warehouse on Fifth Street. Now I want the three of you to be careful, keep in sight of each other at all times and keep cell phones with you. I want updates on the hour, and if I don't get them I'm going to send others after you, understand Hiwatari? I don't want anyone else getting hurt or disappearing." Kai could just feel Judy's reprimanding glare on the other side of the phone.

"You have our word, Judy. We'll call you every hour, and we'll stick together. I'll speak with you in an hour, then. Rei just showed up, and we need to get breakfast down before we head out. Thanks for all your help." Pausing a moment, Kai waited for Judy to say goodbye and good luck before he pressed of the off button on the phone and set it on the kitchen table.

"Alright, lets all get some sort of food in our system before we go. I'd like to relay all the information to you about Declan that Judy felt we should have while we're all sitting down." The plate of eight pieces of toast was set upon the table by Tala, who was soon pouring three glasses of orange juice and joining his two friends at the table.

Rei didn't bother to touch the toast, yet he offered a thank you for the juice before starting to slowly sip it, his mind elsewhere. Tala retrieved two slices of buttered toast from the plate, snagging a napkin to place them on. Across from him Kai was doing the same, only putting two pieces in front of Rei as well and giving him a stern look when he went to refuse the food.

"Let's start from the beginning. No, Declan is not tagged by Biovolt, but that's because they don't need to tag him. His father works for the head of Biovolt, and he is the one who so badly wants to capture Declan. His father killed his mother in hopes of kidnapping his own son, but the government stepped in." Rising from his seat Kai refilled his orange juice glass with freshly brewed coffee, not adding anything to it as he moved to sit back down at the table. "Biovolt wants to take Declan's powers and shift them over to his father."

The sound of Rei's fist slamming down onto the tabletop startled both Kai and Tala out of their calm revere, the Chinese teen rising suddenly to his feet. "Damn it, what the hell is wrong to his father! Who would do that to their own son, much less their own wife? It's sickening, and all this because of his mutation. No wonder he never wants to gain control over it completely, because he never wants to have it in the first place, because he blames himself for being the cause of his own mother's death."

"Rei.." Setting his cup of halfway gone juice down Tala frowned, icy blue eyes looking at Rei with a slow, pained stare. "He's not the only one with a painful past, many mutants have it hard. Parents… They just don't understand about mutations, his father is just to show that even the good can be overly greedy. That doesn't mean that he has to keep running away from his powers, from his parents and his mother's death."

As if coming to a realization Rei's teary eyes cleared into a bright understanding of why Tala treated Declan as he did, but it didn't take the look to darken into anger. "Is that why you treat him worse than dirt, Tala? You are really no better than him in that department, of pain and loosing a parent. I can't believe that you're holding this all against him, when you absolutely know he is nothing like those two gothic kids who killed your parents in a car accident. You're afraid of Declan, of what he could become to you. You're no better than his father, Tala. You're putting a cruel and unusual punishment upon him because of something that he can't help."

Tala looked shocked, frightened, and pained as Rei dragged out the truth. The errors of his own way were being shoved into his face, and he was having to take a big whiff of something he didn't want to come to terms with. His head was lowered, hands clutched into tight trembling fists. At times his shoulders shook, and at a point Rei realized he had went too far, sitting himself down back into his chair.

Watching the two in silence Kai could only offer a sigh and hang his own head, holding it up with his hands as he propped his elbows up onto the edge of the table. He hadn't thought of Tala's past as being the reason he treated Declan the way he was, as he had thought his adopted brother had already let the whole accident go and had stopped blaming everyone who dressed in dark, melancholy colors for his parent's death.

"I'm sorry…" The words tumbled from Tala's lips, near stumbling through them. "But I really don't hate him, Rei. I really don't hate him, but I'm afraid. I just can't stop thinking about those kids that killed my parents, but lived themselves. I'm afraid that if he's like them that he is going to hurt someone else I care about, to rip them from my life." Tightly closing his eyes Tala felt warm salty tears tumbling down his cheeks, touching the corner of his lips before trailing the rest of the way down his chin to drop onto the tabletop. It wasn't long before he felt himself being tugged up from his chair and wrapped in Kai's comforting arms. The red head hugged him tight, tighter than h probably needed to, but it had been years since he had cried. He was startled when he felt a second pair of arms wrap around him, moving to embrace Kai as well. It was Rei, his own tears of sorrow and regret wetting Tala's shirt shoulder as his head came to rest there.

Kai stood, watching the two with a deep frown, yet realizing that this whole ordeal would be bringing them closer together, to help kick out the differences and make their similarities and connections more in view. Shifting and arm he removed it from around Tala, raising it and letting it fall to rest of Rei's shoulder where he gave a friendly squeeze of comfort. Taking a glance at a clock hanging from the wall above the stove Kai noticed it was a quarter past six, meaning they would have to get moving before something really did happen to Declan, if he wasn't already in bad shape as it was.

As everyone calmed down, taking minutes to gather themselves back together and fall into a more relaxed state, they agreed to just leave now, to get food on the way as they traveled around the city in search of Declan. Tala opted to let Rei sit in the front seat with Kai, letting himself sort things out in his mind as they drove from here to there it what proved to be a very long and draining search for Declan.

As Kai had promised hourly calls were made to Judy, but they had been to near every place that the soccer coach had suggested by the time it was six thirty at night. The sun was starting to waver and descend into the horizon. All three were becoming disheartened, and Judy was starting to suggest that they just come back home, that they weren't going to find anything at this time of day. If Biovolt had taken Declan, she had said, then they wouldn't have kept him in one spot so long. Still yet they persisted to keep searching, to go through the whole list before heading back home.

"Alright, this is the last place for today, you two. We've been everywhere in town, and this is the last place Judy had suggested we check out." Putting the SUV in park near the side of the abandoned factory on Fifth Street Kai cut life to the engine, pulling the key out and slipping it into his jeans pocket. Rei was half asleep in the passenger's seat, and Tala looked to be near sleep himself in the rearview mirror.

Sluggishly they all exited the vehicle, stretching idly yet damning themselves as soon as they had arrived by thinking that just like the other places this building was going to be empty. Dull sunlight still filtered through the windows, but it was dark enough inside for Kai to pass out flashlights to everyone before moving into the already opened side door of the abandoned building. They entered a smaller side room, but even as they looked around they had a hard time telling what the factory had been before all the rust had corroded the machinery. As they wandered into the main room, they all gazed about lethargically, in need of a good sleep themselves.

There was a tink of metal against metal and all three of them stopped, waiting for any other noises to follow the sound. Moments passed, and as they were about to move a murmur of voices was heard, not too far away, but clearly trying to keep quiet. The three switched off their flashlights, creeping quietly closer to the source of the sound. With the sun still setting it was hard to see, yet Rei boldly led the way, his cat-like eyes proving to be a big help in the darker area..

"Well look at what we have here… Trespassers! Looking for your little friend, are you boys?" The voice was raspy, almost sounding as if each word was intertwined with a dark growl. Kai immediately provided some light to see, trusting his hand into the air as bright red flames consumed it yet causing no damage to it. Rei's eye's weren't the only ones that reflected the light, but do did the speaker's who was located squatting on a metal rafter above them. He was known to be one of Biovolt's henchmen, Lupinex, but wherever he was so were his three friends; Zomb, Cenotaph, and Sanquinex.

Several lights flickered on in the factory, probably the only few that even worked, but it was enough light to see things more clearly, but not only that the three teens could now clearly seen Declan laying motionless on his side on the concrete floor, Zomb standing next to him with his arms crossed daringly. It didn't take long for the other two of their group to show up, though they were behind the three and cut off their exit.

"We were waiting for Boris to show up, but I don't think he'd mind us having a little…fun. In fact I think he'd like it if we caught the three of you and brought you in with this brat we were sent to snatch. What do you think, Sanquinex?" From his perching Lupinex leapt down, landing several yards in front of the three teens who were readying to fight back.

"Yes, he'd be very pleased. We might even be rewarded for bringing these three in… They've been very elusive and hard to get a hold of along with their school mutants. It was only a matter of time before we cornered you, boys." With a fangy grin Sanquinex raised his hand into the air, snapping his fingers as if to signal something to start.

Lupinex was the first to launch himself forward, going at Tala as his mutation took a hold. It took but seconds for the man to put on his fur, transforming into the hellish nightmare of a werewolf. Dodging aside from the attack, rolling across the floor before rising back to his feet it was now noticed that the only plan that the werewolf had was to separate the three of them, which he had effectively done because they had all jumped separate ways.

Anger flaring Kai gather flames within in right hand, readying to toss a flaming sphere of the flaring energy at the wolf only to be picked up from behind by the massive and powerful Zomb, the muscled arms trying to crush Kai within their grasp. Refusing to cry out Kai used the pain he was in to fuel his mutation, his whole body becoming abnormally warm to the touch. It was like touching red hot metal, forcing Zomb to let go with a grunt.

While the others were being attacked Rei made a run for Declan, wanting just to make sure he was alright. He was so close, just mere feet away before ribbons of white cloth caught his limbs and pulled him backs, feet leaving the ground as he tumbled across the floor. Golden amber eyes shifted, their pupils slitting like a cats as he hissed at his attacker, Cenotaph. The man was like a walking mummy, features hard to make out, but he was just as deadly as the others were. The cloth tightened around him, lifting him into the air and soon moving to bind his arms to his sides and leg together. However a sphere of hissing flames severed the lengths of cloth, allowing Rei to drop back down to the ground as he was released from the hold.

Quick to return the favor of his friend Rei was on his feet, throwing all his weight and using the force of his forward movement into Zomb as he ran at the behemoth. The man stumbled, wavered on one foot, before toppling fully over as Rei jumped off and came to stand next to Kai. They would survive longer if they fought together; they knew each other's movements from soccer, only now they needed to get Lupinex away from Tala long enough to allow their friend to join him.

Tala wasn't fairing as well as his friends were, the werewolf he was up against stronger and swifter than he was physically. Every time he tried to attack the man had moved, jumped elsewhere and growling tauntingly at him. Lupinex jumped again, over Tala's head, yet as soon as he landed he was pushing off the concrete floor to leap at Tala, who was only now just turning. Icy blue eyes wide, he knew he was too slow to fully dodge the attack, but it would seem that the decision wasn't up to him. A body crashed into his from the side, shoving the red head to the ground yet giving Lupinex a new target. Powerful jaws closed upon a shoulder, not caring who's a he bowled over the person and tasted metallic blood.

Blue eyes watched in horror as the wolfish creature rolled with its prey, muffled cries of pain mixing with the throaty growls from Lupinex. Rei and Kai were at Tala's side within moments, watching with awed and pained looks as Declan rolled around with the larger and more powerful werewolf. They hadn't seen him wake up, didn't want to drag him into the fight, but here he was putting himself in danger to save one of them.

"You monster!" The words were harsh, coming from the struggling and already worn and weary Declan. His cerulean eyes looked to be consumed with rage though, boring into the animal that refused to let go of his shoulder. "I won't let you hurt my friends; I won't let you kill them!" Shoving his hand into the furred chest of his attacker Declan gathered his dark energy, forcing his hand upward forcefully before releasing his already fading supply of energy. There was a yelp, and just second later the dark energy forced Lupinex off of Declan, rolling to the side unconscious as the creature reverted back into the form of a man.

Declan lay, breathing hard and shallow, on his back. His focus was fleeting from him, and trying to force it to stay he moved to roll onto his stomach, crying out in pain as his mangled shoulder shifted. He could hear the pounding footsteps of the others racing towards him, and with a force of effort he forced himself into a kneel, his good arm supporting him before he crumbled to the ground, too weak and starting to suffer from blood loss.

"That stupid mutt. He should've known to have let go when he knew he hadn't attacked the right person. Boris will kill us if the kid dies." With a hiss Sanquinex advanced forward, Cenotaph in no better of a mood yet knowing he was to keep the three from meeting up with Declan. White bandages, razor sharp and deathly tight as they constricted, wound around all three of the running forms, ceasing their movement forward as Sanquinex moved forward, baring his fangs. He had it in mind to kill all of them, to wipe out their resistive presence. It was too late though, he didn't see the attack coming before it was too late.

A black dragon, form jagged yet raging as sparking dark energy crackled around its long body that was made of shadow yet form to be real and solid. Its eyes were a deep shade of red, angry and roaring as it consumed Sanquinex with its darkness, attacking him with its dark energy before sweeping to the side to attack Cenotaph in the same manner yet causing the three teens to be released.

All three of the boys, eyes wide and expressive, stared at Declan, worn from the strain of the day and struggling to stay at least in some sort of control of the monster had hand created. Fingers splayed upon the ground the shadow had sprouted from his own, yet the shadows seemed to have a mind of their own because he was loosing control quickly, energy being drained rapidly before his concentration was rudely broken by a heavy booted foot crashing forward to connect with his ribs. The dragon fell into none existence, the shadows fading away into the light as Declan slid across the floor. Zomb had not only saved his companions by stopping him, but unknowingly saved Declan from destroying himself.

The Frankenstein of a man was going for another kick when something crashed into his own side, freezing and icy to the touch and sending him toppling over once more. Frost quickly moved from where the blue energy had hit, only cold enough to render the man unconscious and in a comatose state. Tala was soon standing over him, icy blue eyes churning with distaste towards the giant.

Turning Tala gazed at Kai and Rei, who had rolled the now blacked out Declan onto his back. His heart twisted painfully and his stomach tightened, a knot forming. He owed the very person who he had treated like the worst being in the world his life, yet he didn't understand why. He had been so cruel, so angry towards him, yet he had still called Tala his friend. He had kept him from being the one bitten and near torn apart by Lupinex.

Kai was already on the phone with Judy, informing her that they found Declan, and that they would be over immediately so that they wouldn't have to give answers to questioning doctors. Judy was a healer, and would ultimately save Declan's life if they could get him there in time. Rei turned his teary amber eyes to Tala, his outer shirt having been stripped off to be pressed over the still bleeding shoulder. They all knew the night was going to be a long one, and that they were again not be coming to school tomorrow.